Demonstrating Leadership: Actions Beyond Words

Proactivity in Communication: Building Trust and Efficiency

Proactive communication builds trust by making sure people always know they'll be informed when it matters. Are you waiting to be asked — or are you leading the conversation? In this episode of Leadership With a Twist, Heather McGonigal and Barbara Schindler dig into one of the most powerful and often overlooked leadership communication skills: proactive communication. If your boss is coming to you for updates, you've already moved too slow. Heather and Barbara share practical, actionable guidance on how to get one step ahead — sharing information before it's asked for, closing the loop on delegated projects, and creating a communication rhythm that builds trust at every level of your organization.   In this episode you will learn: * Why proactive communication is a trust-building superpower for leaders and team members alike * How to distinguish between micromanaging and generously sharing resources * How proactive updates protect your supervisor's credibility and set them up for success * How to build update checkpoints into your delegation process to eliminate open loops * How to co-create a communication rhythm with your supervisor that fits your current season Whether you're a senior leader, a team manager, or an individual contributor, this episode gives you a clear framework for becoming the kind of communicator people trust — without feeling like you're over-reporting or stepping on toes. Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with a leader you believe in. 00:00 Welcome and Topic 00:40 One Step Ahead Updates 02:41 Sharing Down Builds Safety 03:58 Resources Not Afterthoughts 06:14 Close Loops With Delegation 08:12 Micromanaging Versus Support 13:56 Update Agreements and Cadence 16:27 Avoid Empty Reports 18:17 Key Takeaways and Coaching   About the Hosts: Coach Heather and Coach Barbara are the lead Executive Coaches of Empowering Leadership Teams. They specialize in helping entrepreneurial businesses and their teams meet the moment and become the most empowered they can be to work together and achieve optimal results. With deep expertise in leadership development, team dynamics, and navigating organizational transition, they bring practical, actionable wisdom to leaders facing the challenges of today's rapidly changing business environment. Need support implementing these ideas? Book a Coffee Chat: https://www.empoweringleadershipteams.com/coffeechat [https://www.empoweringleadershipteams.com/coffeechat] Weekly Leadership With a Twist Newsletter: https://www.empoweringleadershipteams.com/huddle-subscribe [https://www.empoweringleadershipteams.com/huddle-subscribe] Subscribe & Review: If you found value in this episode, please subscribe to our podcast and leave us a review. Your feedback helps us create content that serves entrepreneurial leaders like you, and it helps other leaders discover these conversations. Questions or topics you'd like us to address in future episodes? Send us a message at or leave a comment on our latest post. Cheering You On!

Anchored in Intent: How to Lead with Clarity and Purpose

What is your leadership intention right now—and does your team actually experience it? Heather McGonigal and Barbara Schindler discuss how intention helps entrepreneurial leaders move beyond task-focused “doing” and reconnect to bigger business outcomes, relationships, and leadership reputation. They invite you to ask, “What am I really going for?” and use that intention as an anchor for how you show up in meetings, one-on-ones, and collaborative work. They emphasize that intention should translate into observable behaviors—such as speaking last to empower others or sharing resources to be helpful—and that there’s no single right approach; choices depend on what the team and situation need. They encourage checking whether you’re acting intentionally or on autopilot, practicing intentional behaviors until they become habits, and declaring your intentions to shape your impact. They also offer complimentary VIP coaching sessions via a link to help apply the concept to your specific scenario. In this episode, you’ll learn: * What “anchoring in intention” really means for day-to-day leadership * How to move from reactive, task-driven leadership to purposeful, proactive leadership * How your intention directly informs how you show up in meetings, one-on-ones, and collaborative sessions * Why practicing intentional behaviors builds lasting leadership habits * How to declare your leadership intention and start creating impact today Whether you’re a founder, team lead, or entrepreneurial leader ready to level up, this episode gives you the mindset shift and practical tools to lead with greater clarity, connection, and confidence 00:00 Welcome and Topic Setup 00:22 Why Intention Matters 01:02 From Busywork to Bigger Goals 03:07 Intention and Leadership Reputation 04:09 Turning Intention Into Behaviors 06:16 Adapting Your Style to the Moment 08:22 Automatic Pilot vs Acting Intentionally 09:36 Practice Builds New Habits 10:52 Coaching Offer and Closing   About the Hosts: Coach Heather and Coach Barbara are the lead Executive Coaches of Empowering Leadership Teams. They specialize in helping entrepreneurial businesses and their teams meet the moment and become the most empowered they can be to work together and achieve optimal results. With deep expertise in leadership development, team dynamics, and navigating organizational transition, they bring practical, actionable wisdom to leaders facing the challenges of today's rapidly changing business environment. Need support implementing these ideas? Book a Coffee Chat: https://www.empoweringleadershipteams.com/coffeechat [https://www.empoweringleadershipteams.com/coffeechat] Weekly Leadership With a Twist Newsletter: https://www.empoweringleadershipteams.com/huddle-subscribe [https://www.empoweringleadershipteams.com/huddle-subscribe] Subscribe & Review: If you found value in this episode, please subscribe to our podcast and leave us a review. Your feedback helps us create content that serves entrepreneurial leaders like you, and it helps other leaders discover these conversations. Questions or topics you'd like us to address in future episodes? Send us a message at or leave a comment on our latest post. Cheering You On!

Navigating Over-Responsibility: Balancing Leadership in Changing Times

What's one responsibility you're currently holding that, if you're honest, probably belongs to someone else? Are you a high-performing entrepreneur or business leader who always steps in, fills the gaps, and gets it done — even when it means taking on more than your share? In this episode of Leadership With a Twist, hosts Heather McGonigal and Barbara Schindler unpack the hidden cost of over-responsibility and give you a clear, practical framework to find your way back to balance. If you lead in a small to mid-size entrepreneurial business, your role likely has blurry edges. Launches, big projects, and fast growth mean everyone rolls up their sleeves — and somewhere in that blur, high performers start carrying weight that was never meant to be theirs. In this conversation, Heather and Barbara cover: * Why high performers default to over-responsibility — and why that habit keeps you stuck * The Power of the Pause: how to stop, recalibrate, and think clearly before you act * Discernment: the leadership skill of deciding whether YOU are the best resource * How to renegotiate timelines, delegate effectively, and bring in the right resources * Why releasing responsibility to your team is one of the most powerful things you can do as a leader Whether you are an entrepreneur, COO, department head, or emerging leader, this episode gives you real tools to recognize when you are over-giving — and what to do about it. Tune in and ask yourself: are you doing your part, or more than your part? 00:00 Welcome and Topic 00:31 Why Over Responsibility 02:10 Entrepreneurial Blur 04:00 Power of the Pause 06:05 Discernment and Resourcing 07:45 When Easy Gets Hard 11:44 Compassion and Communication 13:50 Anchor in Role Clarity 16:52 Renegotiate Resources 20:04 Stop Holding Team Back 23:12 Key Takeaways and Close 24:43 Invitation and Sign Off   About the Hosts: Coach Heather and Coach Barbara are the lead Executive Coaches of Empowering Leadership Teams. They specialize in helping entrepreneurial businesses and their teams meet the moment and become the most empowered they can be to work together and achieve optimal results. With deep expertise in leadership development, team dynamics, and navigating organizational transition, they bring practical, actionable wisdom to leaders facing the challenges of today's rapidly changing business environment. Free E-Guide: Authentic Leadership Unleashed [https://s3.amazonaws.com/kajabi-storefronts-production/file-uploads/sites/2148361381/themes/2157521083/downloads/a30aeb-7884-7240-4616-bd44106325f4_eGuide_Authentic_Leadership_Unleashed_20241016_HQ.pdf] Need support implementing these ideas? Book a Coffee Chat: https://www.empoweringleadershipteams.com/coffeechat [https://www.empoweringleadershipteams.com/coffeechat] Subscribe & Review: If you found value in this episode, please subscribe to our podcast and leave us a review. Your feedback helps us create content that serves entrepreneurial leaders like you, and it helps other leaders discover these conversations. Questions or topics you'd like us to address in future episodes? Send us a message at or leave a comment on our latest post. Cheering You On!

The Whole Person Approach: Beyond Traditional Leadership

What does it actually mean to lead the whole person — and why does it matter more than ever right now? In this episode of Leadership with a Twist, Heather McGonigal and Barbara Schindler dive deep into one of the most important — and most overlooked — principles of effective leadership: caring for the whole human being in your organization, not just the role they fill. You will hear why the outdated model of 'leave your personal life at the door' is quietly destroying team performance, killing creativity, and tanking company culture. Heather and Barbara share real examples from years of coaching leaders and teams in entrepreneurial companies and larger organizations, revealing the telltale signs that care is flowing only one direction in a workplace — and what to do about it. In this episode, you will learn: * Why whole-person leadership is directly tied to financial performance and business success * How to advocate for your own needs without sacrificing professionalism * What progressive companies do differently to attract and retain top talent * Why your company's Glassdoor reputation is shaped by whether employees feel seen and valued * How to build a team culture where creativity, psychological safety, and innovation naturally thrive Whether you are a founder, a people manager, an HR leader, or someone building your career inside a team, this episode gives you practical tools and a mindset shift that will change how you show up for the people around you. 00:00 Welcome and Weather 01:10 Whole Person Leadership 02:06 Old School Professionalism 05:23 Care Imbalance at the Top 07:44 Advocate for Your Needs 10:15 Culture and Reputation 12:05 People and Profit Balance 15:37 Safety and Creativity 17:44 Benefits Cuts Warning 20:20 Wrap Up and Next Time About the Hosts: Coach Heather and Coach Barbara are the lead Executive Coaches of Empowering Leadership Teams. They specialize in helping entrepreneurial businesses and their teams meet the moment and become the most empowered they can be to work together and achieve optimal results. With deep expertise in leadership development, team dynamics, and navigating organizational transition, they bring practical, actionable wisdom to leaders facing the challenges of today's rapidly changing business environment. Free E-Guide: Authentic Leadership Unleashed [https://s3.amazonaws.com/kajabi-storefronts-production/file-uploads/sites/2148361381/themes/2157521083/downloads/a30aeb-7884-7240-4616-bd44106325f4_eGuide_Authentic_Leadership_Unleashed_20241016_HQ.pdf] Need support implementing these ideas? Book a Coffee Chat: https://www.empoweringleadershipteams.com/coffeechat [https://www.empoweringleadershipteams.com/coffeechat] Subscribe & Review: If you found value in this episode, please subscribe to our podcast and leave us a review. Your feedback helps us create content that serves entrepreneurial leaders like you, and it helps other leaders discover these conversations. Questions or topics you'd like us to address in future episodes? Send us a message at or leave a comment on our latest post. Cheering You On!

Demonstrating Leadership: Actions Beyond Words

What kind of leader are you — really? Not in the vision statement, not in the company all-hands, but in the moment when the pressure is on, the numbers are off, and your team is watching closely. In this episode of Leadership With a Twist, hosts Heather McGonigal and Barbara Schindler dig into one of the most important — and most overlooked — dimensions of leadership development: what are your actions actually demonstrating every single day? In this episode you will learn: * Why leadership reputation is built or broken in everyday micro-moments * How to use an intentional leadership anchor statement to guide your behavior under pressure * The role of compassion and psychological safety in high-performance cultures * Why visible self-care is a leadership skill, not a luxury * How to apply a growth mindset to mistakes — your own and your team's * Practical questions to help you notice and shift what you are demonstrating Whether you are a seasoned executive, a first-time manager, or an aspiring leader, this episode gives you a clear framework for closing the gap between the leader you say you want to be and the leader your team experiences every day. 00:00 Welcome Back 01:14 Leadership In Action 04:36 Intentional Leadership 06:21 Compassion Through Curiosity 07:52 Mistakes And Growth Mindset 10:59 Leading Under Pressure 12:16 Self Care That Shows 16:23 Remote Work Reality 18:05 Recenter And Wrap Up 19:19 How To Connect About the Hosts: Coach Heather and Coach Barbara are the lead Executive Coaches of Empowering Leadership Teams. They specialize in helping entrepreneurial businesses and their teams meet the moment and become the most empowered they can be to work together and achieve optimal results. With deep expertise in leadership development, team dynamics, and navigating organizational transition, they bring practical, actionable wisdom to leaders facing the challenges of today's rapidly changing business environment. Free E-Guide: Authentic Leadership Unleashed [https://s3.amazonaws.com/kajabi-storefronts-production/file-uploads/sites/2148361381/themes/2157521083/downloads/a30aeb-7884-7240-4616-bd44106325f4_eGuide_Authentic_Leadership_Unleashed_20241016_HQ.pdf] Book a Coffee Chat: https://www.empoweringleadershipteams.com/coffeechat [https://www.empoweringleadershipteams.com/coffeechat] Subscribe & Review: If you found value in this episode, please subscribe to our podcast and leave us a review. Your feedback helps us create content that serves entrepreneurial leaders like you, and it helps other leaders discover these conversations. Questions or topics you'd like us to address in future episodes? Send us a message at or leave a comment on our latest post. Cheering You On!